Egypt's Brotherhood vows to defend HQ against protesters

March 21, 2013|Reuters

CAIRO, March 21 (Reuters) - Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood saidit would defend its headquarters against protesters ifnecessary, raising the possibility of a confrontation at ademonstration planned in Cairo on Friday.

Anti-Brotherhood protesters clashed with riot police firingtear gas outside the building earlier this week, the latestburst of street unrest in a country still struggling to restorelaw and order since its 2011 uprising.

"We will protect our offices and stress that we will notharm anyone and will not initiate aggression, but we will notallow anyone to assault us," Brotherhood secretary-generalMahmoud Hussein told a televised news conference on Thursday.

"We confirm that protecting public and private property isthe responsibility of the police in the first place, even if itis our right to defend ourselves and our headquarters andproperty, which we will not abandon," he said.

Hardcore secular and liberal opposition activists planFriday's protest outside the headquarters of the Brotherhood, ofwhich President Mohamed Mursi is a leading member.

A lawyer for the Muslim Brotherhood has filed a legalcomplaint against 14 parties and public figures who called the demonstration, state-run news site Al-Ahram Online said.

Recent unrest in the capital and in other large cities likePort Said is undermining the beleaguered economy. Egyptians arebeing hit with higher bills for food while fuel shortages haveparalysed transport in parts of the North African country.

Although protests have dwindled since the end of last yearwhen thousands took to the streets after Mursi gave himselfsweeping powers, Egypt is still deeply split between Islamists,including the Brotherhood, and a range of opposition groups.